Concerns Rise Over Gambling Advertising in Premier League
Despite expectations for a reduction, over 5,000 gambling advertisements were visible during a recent Premier League match, according to researchers.
New analysis from the University of Bristol revealed that there were 5,262 instances of gambling advertising during the broadcast of Manchester City's 4-0 victory over Wolves on August 16.
Of these advertisements, 91% were visible during live play, with only 9% appearing in pre-match and post-match coverage. This match recorded the highest number of visible in-play gambling ads since the research commenced in 2023.
A 2019 agreement among gambling companies established a self-regulated 'whistle-to-whistle ban', which prohibits TV betting advertisements from being shown five minutes before kick-off until five minutes after full-time.
However, this 'ban' ends at 9 PM and does not encompass other forms of visible advertising, such as shirt sponsorships, pitchside hoardings, and logos on stadium structures, all of which have increased in recent years.
Research conducted during the opening round of games in this Premier League season found 13,200 gambling messages in the UK during the whistle-to-whistle ban period alone, marking a 32% increase from the previous year.
“This level of gambling advertising during the Premier League's first weekend is frankly astonishing,” stated Sir Iain Duncan Smith MP, chair of the Gambling Reform All Party Parliamentary Group. “The industry claimed it was taking steps to self-regulate and reduce advertising, but yet again they have not kept to their word. The whistle-to-whistle ban is far too limited and ineffective.”
Overall, 27,440 gambling messages were recorded across the entire opening weekend, which is a slight decrease from the previous year but still more than triple the total from 2023.
This total includes every individual instance of gambling messaging from live match coverage, as well as output on TalkSport, Sky Sports News, and various social media channels.
There have been increasing calls for a ban on gambling advertising, similar to the 2002 ban on tobacco promotion. In 2023, the Gambling Commission suggested that the government should limit the amount and frequency of gambling ads promoted within elite sports venues.
Lord Foster of Bath, chair of Peers for Gambling Reform, remarked, “The government must intervene to reduce exposure to gambling advertising, particularly for children, as we know it can lead to harm. The government has all the necessary powers to protect people and it must act now.”
A spokesperson for the Department of Culture, Media, and Sport informed the BBC, “The government acknowledges that further work is required to ensure that gambling advertising is appropriate, responsible, and does not exacerbate harm. We are consulting a wide range of evidence to guide our next steps in this area and are collaborating with the industry to enhance standards.”
The Premier League did not provide a comment on the matter.
The University of Bristol's analysis identified 2,412 advertising messages for 13 gambling companies that lack licenses to operate in the UK. Several Premier League clubs are sponsored by these companies, which do not offer services in the UK, instead leveraging the league's global popularity to target customers in other regions, particularly China.
However, advertising from companies operating abroad can still trigger betting behavior among individuals in the UK, especially if the names and logos are recognizable as gambling promotions.
Last week, the Gambling Commission's annual survey estimated that up to 1.4 million adults in the UK have a gambling problem.
“The Premier League is now so saturated with gambling marketing that brands are competing fiercely for every bit of advertising space,” said Dr. Raffaello Rossi, a member of the research team. “The evidence is clear—self-regulation has failed. Voluntary codes are protecting profits, not fans.”
Premier League clubs have pledged to implement a ban on front-of-shirt gambling sponsorships starting next season. However, there are concerns that this move may simply shift how gambling companies advertise in football rather than lead to a genuine reduction.
Duncan Smith, the former Conservative leader, remarked, “The commitment to reduce front-of-shirt logos is merely a token gesture while regulators appear unable to have any meaningful impact or properly protect consumers.”